Welcome to this week in comic book reviews! The staff have come together to read and review nearly everything that released today. It isn’t totally comprehensive, but it includes just about everything from DC and Marvel with the important books from the likes of Image, Boom, IDW, Dark Horse, Dynamite, and more.
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The review blurbs you’ll find contained herein are typically supplemented in part by longform individual reviews for significant issues. This week that includes Ultimate Universe #1, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom Special #1, and Red Light #1.
Also, in case you were curious, our ratings are simple: we give a whole or half number out of five; that’s it! If you’d like to check out our previous reviews, they are all available here.
DC #1
AQUAMAN AND THE LOST KINGDOM SPECIAL #1
[READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE]
Overall, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom Special #1 is a surprisingly solid comic book. All three stories in the issue are good reads, though the Black Manta offering is probably the best of the trio. It leaves the reader with the sense that maybe the story that the Aquaman movies is trying to tell could be better suited for page than screen in the future. While it will certainly be interesting to see where the seeds planted by this unusual tie-in issue may go, it is one worth reading on its own. — Nicole Drum
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
BATMAN/CATWOMAN: THE GOTHAM WAR – SCORCHED EARTH #1
Well, there is one good thing that I can say about Batman/Catwoman: The Gotham War – Scorched Earth #1 and that is that at least “Gotham War” is over at long damn last but let me be clear: that is the only good thing I can say. This entire issue is a mess, which on a lot of levels is no surprise because this whole event has been a disaster from the start. Nothing about the event made sense but this issue in particular may have made the least amount of sense both narratively and visually of them all. We start off with Tim getting jumped by a group of really badly drawn rogue, a bunch of chaotic, nonsense about immortality fragments that makes everything leading up to this end up having all been worthless, more bad art—really, everything is flat and stiff and has horrible proportions—and then there are a series of just ham handed “twists” paired with just awful dialogue. This comic—and the whole event—feels like a really bad Mad Lib. In fact, it might have been better of being a Mad Lib. Thank gods it’s over. — Nicole Drum
Rating: 1 out of 5
DETECTIVE COMICS #1076
The next arc of Detective Comics begins with the Orgham family firmly in control of Gotham with Batman as their prisoner. With Batman in no shape to escape on his own, his allies begin to converge in an attempt to “steal” Batman from out of Orgham’s grasp. Surprisingly, the catalyst for this team is Catwoman, still estranged from Batman but recognizing that she owes him enough to help him in what might be his greatest hour of need. This new arc seems like a sharp left turn from the dark operatic previous arc, which could be quite interesting. — Christian Hoffer
Rating: 4 out of 5
RETURN OF SUPERMAN 30TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL #1
It’s been thirty years since we witnessed the “Death of Superman” and the arrival of four new Metropolis guardians all looking to take the title of the Man of Steel. Bringing back all the original creators that weaved the stories of Steel, Superboy, the Eradicator, and Cyborg Superman is no small feat in itself, and luckily, this issue is the perfect nostalgia trip for those aiming to revisit this Metropolis era. “Return of Superman”‘s anniversary isn’t a perfect comic book, but it’s one that is able to take us back to an era of 90s comics in the DC Universe. This issue is a celebration of a bygone era, and whether you’re a fan of that time period or not, it’s worth your time to pick up this Anniversary Special. — Evan Valentine
Rating: 4 out of 5
SPIRIT WORLD #6
Some big revelations are uncovered about not just Xanthe, but Wan Yujing as well. For being a newer hero, Xanthe is pretty self-assured and confident in their choices and action. The deal Xanthe brokers with the Jade Court opens up opportunities for them to pop back up in the DC universe again down the road. Overall, Spirit World was an enjoyable story with stellar art. — Tim Adams
Rating: 4 out of 5
SUPERGIRL SPECIAL #1
Supergirl has some competition in the form of Power Girl, who are both a part of the Super-family living in and protecting Metropolis. This Supergirl Special looks to address Kara’s identity crisis head-on, and DC couldn’t have picked a better creative team than Mariko Tamaki, Skylar Patridge, and Marissa Louise. It’s a pretty low-key issue action-wise, but that’s because there’s more character development with Supergirl as she reminisces on her past on Krypton. I thought there would be a bigger character change that would happen at the end of the issue, but even with a compromise being made by Supergirl and Power Girl, it was still a fun read. — Tim Adams
Rating: 4 out of 5
Marvel #1
THE AVENGERS #7
Man is there a lot to like about Avengers #7! Jed MacKay knows how to craft a tale with mesmerizing words spoken by an unknown narrator. Each Avenger gets a chance to shine as they sacrifice their lives. We ultimately learn who is secretly pulling the strings behind this doomed world, but there’s also another surprise in the form of the return of a team not seen since Marvel’s Timeless one-shot last December. C.F. Villa, Federico Blee, and Cory Petit absolutely nail the dramatic moments in their art. — Tim Adams
Rating: 5 out of 5
DOCTOR STRANGE #9
Doctor Strange doesn’t need to traverse the multiverse for a killer story, that much is evident by the microscopic scope featured in Doctor Strange #9. Largely set at a single location, MacKay’s script is a beautifully woven tale that puts a battle of the wits at center stage, a tussle elevated by the psychedelically beautiful artwork of Ferry and Moore. This mystical match of chess is getting close to its climax, and the excitement has never been at a higher level. — Adam Barnhardt
Rating: 5 out of 5
IT’S JEFF: ENTER THE JEFF-VERSE #1
The second physical collection of “It’s Jeff” digital-first strips featuring the eponymous and adorable landshark drawn by Gurihiru and written by Kelly Thompson continues to delight readers in short and sweet gag strips that play upon Marvel Comics’ canon and cute animal-oriented shenanigans. More than anything else, this strip has proven to be a spotlight for Gurihiru – the artistic team that have proven to be one of the publisher’s most reliable sources of all-ages cartooning and outstanding humor in the past decade. “It’s Jeff” continues to play on prior outings by both Gurihiru and Thompson with plenty of appearances from Gwenpool, Hawkeye, and Squirrel Girl. These crossover elements prove particularly effective near the end of The Jeff-Verse when an abundance of animals, both super and mundane, overload the page in the best way imaginable. The array of skills found in so many different gags speak to the quality of the creators involved with a laugh for every page in this issue. Readers seeking some straightforward fun in their funny books this week will be delighted to discover It’s Jeff: The Jeff-Verse awaiting them. — Chase Magnett
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
MAGNETO #4
Regardless of how you feel about current X-Men books, the four-issue Magneto run comes highly recommended. The book, particularly the final issue, makes a strong case for portraying Eric as the densely complex yet noble antihero rather than the cackling, spiteful villain that so many X-Men adaptations lean into. –– Connor Casey
Rating: 4 out of 5
SCARLET WITCH #10
Scarlet Witch‘s finale (until next year’s Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver miniseries) is nothing short of beautiful. Wanda’s battle against Hexfinder, and the nature of her ever-changing role in the Marvel universe, both come to a head withh a poignant, action-packed flurry. Steve Orlando, Sara Pichelli, and company knock it out of the park once again, and make me sad that this particular era of Wanda’s story is over. — Jenna Anderson
Rating: 5 out of 5
SPIDER-BOY #1
Spider-Boy gets the solo spotlight in his own series, though he’s not really alone. Writer Dan Slott kicks off the issue with a fun pun-filled team-up with Spider-Man, but the book really starts to hit its stride when Spider-Man takes a back seat to Bailey. Christina feels like someone Bailey can really confide in without the baggage that can sometimes come with his relationship with Peter, and that also leaves more room to explore Spider-Boy’s mysterious backstory, which is easily the most compelling element of the series. Seeing how Bailey got his powers and the heartbreaking reunion that plays out effectively tugs at the heartstrings, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The villains all have a flair for the absurd, but that’s also part of the charm, and artist Paco Medina and colorist Erick Arciniega lean into that fun absurdity in the artwork and character designs. The same goes for the entertaining second story “Balloonacy” by Ty Templeton and Dee Cunniffe, which gets extra points for bringing Squirrel Girl and Tippy-Toe into the mix. When Spider-Boy is the centra figure, this series captures something that’s hard to identify but feels quite special, and I’m incredibly intrigued to see where things go next. — Matthew Aguilar
Rating: 4 out of 5
Marvel #2
STAR WARS #40
After Lobot becomes infected by the Scourge, Lando returns to the Rebel Alliance to ask Leia for help rescuing his friend. Given the secretive ways in which Lobot got infected in the first place, Leia isn’t entirely thrilled about this reveal, and Lobots whereabouts potentially proving to be a seminal moment for the Scourge’s attempts to jump into the flesh. A definitively transitive issue, this chapter helps leave Lando’s solo aspects behind while also attempting to shed light on his history with Lobot. The former is more successful than the latter, with the book proving to be more successful at teasing what could be in store for our heroes’ future than it is at justifying the events that led to this point. The final pages specifically cement the effectiveness of hinting at what’s over the horizon, though it still only manages to tread water with its narrative momentum. Treading water, however, is preferred to totally drowning, so our hopes are higher for the book’s future. — Patrick Cavanaugh
Rating: 3 out of 5
ULTIMATE UNIVERSE #1
[READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE]
Ultimately, Ultimate Universe #1 does a solid enough job of introducing Hickman’s brave new world, but this feels like a first issue that might be better read as a collection than a single issue. I’m excited to see what comes next for this new Marvel Comic universe, but that’s thanks to what we saw in Ultimate Invasion and what’s been hinted at with other series on the way. Ultimate Universe #1 is a squeaky wheel that gets the car past the finish line but definitely could have used more grease. The future seems bright for Hickman’s new universe, but this isn’t a roaring success. — Evan Valentine
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
VENOM #27
Classic Venom fans will find something to like here though as series writer Torunn Grønbekk has a writing style very reminiscent of Todd McFarlane, right down to some of the same bizarre storytelling decisions. Series artist Julius Ohta (credited with Rafael Pimentel in the issue) has a lot of fun with the symbiote action here, and colorist Frank D’Armata helps elevate the gooey madness. The trouble however is that the unfulfilled promise of the previous 25 issues lingers heavily over this series, and it simply cannot match the energy and daring of that storytelling. — Spencer Perry
Rating: 3 out of 5
WHITE WIDOW #1
Yelena earned herself hordes of new fans after Florence Pugh brought the character into the MCU, so it felt like only a matter of time before she got a really solid solo book. It appears that book is here. White Widow has a couple of growing pains in its first issue, but it’s a delightful mix of a classic superhero mystery and a quirky character study. Yelena’s desire to live her own life in a new town and explore her own mind is, at times, reminiscent of the Matt Fraction-written Hawkeye series we’ve all come to love. It’s not doing exactly what that series did, but White Widow is breathing vibrant and compelling new life into its lead character. — Charlie Ridgely
Rating: 4 out of 5
X-MEN #28
Gerry Duggan continues overusing political sloganeering in his “Fall of X” run of X-Men. “Resist” has been run through, and “Nevertheless, she persisted,” getting some unneeded attention in this issue. Even the word fascist is being rendered meaningless by its casual utterances. It isn’t even a matter of whether Orchis fits the definition. It’s that sensation where you can only say a word a certain number of times in quick succession before it starts to feel alien. The more catchphrases and labels added to the mix, the greater the rate of decay on each of them. Joshua Cassara turns in another stellar issue, but even the mighty Marte Gracia seems ill-suited to Cassara’s tense linework after what Dean White brought to those early X-Force issues. A lame-duck pall hangs over this run of X-Men, which feels increasingly like a retread of the “X-Men: Disassembled” arc that preceded House of X/Power of X. Krakoa isn’t even dead and buried yet, and already the X-Men are back to retreading old ground. It’s a real shame. — Jamie Lovett
Rating: 2 out of 5
Other Publishers #1
BLOOD COMMANDMENT #1
There are moments in Blood Commandment that get entirely too bogged down in dense conversations about faith and mortality. Those are obvious themes of the book and it’s admirable how deep the series is willing to go when discussing them, things just could’ve been tightened up a bit. Once the stories real hook is revealed, however, it’s off to the races. — Charlie Ridgely
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
BUFFY: THE LAST VAMPIRE SLAYER #4
Buffy the Last Vampire Slayer #4 is a disjointed mess of a comic book. The artwork is cluttered and busy, overfilling each page with objects competing for the reader’s attention and no clear visual cues as to where the eye should focus. There’s no flow in the storytelling, and lettering placement adds to this failure. In one example, Thessaly screams “SILENCE!” at a group of panicked bystanders, but the dialogue comes in a separate panel and after another packed word balloon, making it seem as if she’s scolding herself for talking too much. Buffy’s grand realization and symbolic letting go of being the Slayer seems at odds with everything that Buffy the Vampire Slayer has previously insisted on concerning the Chosen One’s role being a calling and not a job, something inherent who Buffy (and those who preceded and follow her) is, and it hardly seems to matter. Slayer? Watcher? These are job titles and it’s silly for Buffy’s character arc to hinge on these semantics. There’s even precedent for multiple Slayers (Buffy and Kendra or Faith, both of whom are even mentioned in the issue), and it’s unclear why Buffy and Thess’s age difference should necessitate that Buffy be cast in the role of Watcher beyond the storyteller’s desire for narrative symmetry. Buffy can throw every mace and crossbow in her collection into the sea but that’s not going to free her from the mystical lineage she’s a part of her, nor dampen what remains of her super strength and Slayer sense beyond what age already has done. At one point, Buffy murmurs something about how much she hates symbolism. That’s fine because the symbolism here is weak at best. — Jamie Lovett
Rating: 1.5 out of 5
FACELESS AND THE FAMILY #1
Lesniewski’s latest might be some of his best work yet, a beautifully hellish landscape without color that still somehow manages to be full of hope and heart. The cartoonist’s traditionally folk-inspired line art balances the genre-bending, post-apocalyptic, equal parts cyberpunk and steampunk fare exceptionally well. The debut issues is wonderfully paced and Faceless and Jerry both receive as surprising amount of character in this debut issue. One hell of a debut from Oni Press. — Adam Barnhardt
Rating: 5 out of 5
GARGOYLES: DARK AGES #4
When Dark Ages hits, it hits hard. The past three issues have largely been a roller coaster of a ride, a ride that events itself out in Gargoyles: Dark Ages #4. Serving as an origin to our beloved Wyvern Clan, this issue lays a lot of lore down for the long-time fans of the franchise, showing them why some of the characters do the things they do. It’s an issue that can only be written by one Greg Weisman, and he definitively excels here. — Adam Barnhardt
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
GHOSTLORE #6
Ghostlore #6 catches us up with the Reverend and gives us the gruesome other side of the strange powers that he and Harmony have – as well as the other side of the people they’ve encountered and the forces that they’re dealing with. While she’s found positive people and arguably the side of good, he’s found darkness and destruction and this issue sets it all on a collision course in a spectacular way. What works here is that we get what might be some of the most humanity we’ve seen yet for the Reverend which certainly changes how we as the reader perceives the character and also changes the tone of how this conflict is ultimately going to go. The art here is also really stunning. It’s also really neat to see the issue take on the idea of certain roleplaying games being demonic. It’s a little tongue in cheek and clever and nice. — Nicole Drum
Rating: 5 out of 5
GODZILLA: HERE THERE BE DRAGONS #5
The best adjective I can use to describe Godzilla: Here There Be Dragons is: functional. All of the pieces of a conclusion are present in issue #5 and laid out in plain fashion, but none of it is terribly satisfying nor does it bear much scrutiny. There are a series of climactic showdowns between men, kaiju, and combinations of the two and each is dictated by the needs of plot. Neither the sword fights nor the ocean-bound battle are thrilling as individual panels of carnage demand more of the reader than they present. Convenience plays a central role in Drake’s fate – one which doesn’t provide much beyond forcing itself to align with historical fact-checking. It’s the final sequence of issue #5 that makes this series feel like a poor investment of time across this summer and fall, though, as a conspiracy is suggested without any definition or clear purpose to clear out nearly every named character and vaguely gesture at some other purpose. It’s unlikely readers will ever discover what that purpose was and, after five issues of Here There Be Dragons, even less likely they’ll be interested in finding out. — Chase Magnett
Rating: 1.5 out of 5
MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE: FORGE OF DESTINY #3
Masters of the Universe: Forge of Destiny has its best issue yet, in part because the pieces are already on the board and the heavy-lifting exposition doesn’t play as big of a role. Scribe Tim Seeley finally lets characters get a chance to breathe in the story with artist Eddie Nunez getting the chance to draw some of the characters in great moments (with special shout out to colorist Brad Simpson for the final page). The series still feels at a distance for readers though, not really doing anything we haven’t seen nor shaking things up in any meaningful way due to the prequel nature of it all. — Spencer Perry
Rating: 3 out of 5
Other Publishers #2
THE MIDNITE SHOW #2
The Midnite Show #2 continues to be a love letter to classic monster movies. But after revealing how a cursed movie brought iconic Universal monsters to life on an unsuspecting small town, the second issue reveals another trick – the movie wasn’t just summoning monsters, but also their settings and a few of its other characters, including Van Helsing. Our main cast often feels like the group from something like Freddy vs. Jason or Alien vs. Predator, helplessly running from the different creatures and hoping to not get caught in the crossfire once they start clashing with each other. The book will also decide randomly when it wants to crank up the gore, pivoting from a character simply disappearing to a woman having her faced ripped off by a werewolf. It’s a fun ride given the time of year. — Connor Casey
Rating: 3 out of 5
NO/ONE #6
No/One‘s story continues in an emotionally-twisty, but still grounded, footing. The search for the titular vigilante grows complicated—and increasingly violent—through Kyle Higgins and Brian Buccellato’s script. With the help of Geraldo Borges’ art, which makes some fun choices with panel composition and action, the book continues to largely do right by its central gimmick. — Jenna Anderson
Rating: 4 out of 5
RANGER ACADEMY #2
Ranger Academy‘s debut issue was certainly strong, but Ranger Academy #2 is the one that ultimately hooked me from here on out. Writer Maria Ingrande Mora introduces us to Sage’s supporting cast and they are absolutely delightful. While there could be a twist coming, I genuinely hope that doesn’t affect the sincere and genuine nature of their new friendship, and the care that’s quickly formed is a credit to how endearing Sage has become in just two issues. The mystery of her father and how he relates to the Power Rangers mythology is a great hook for future stories, but it will be grounded by Sage’s own story forming at the Academy. Illustrator Jo Mi-Gyeong and colorist Fabiana Mascolo are able to give the Academy and the individual Chroma-Campuses their own distinct vibe, and the characters exude charm and personality without having to say a world. Consider me sold on Ranger Academy, and I think any Power Rangers fan will find something to enjoy as well. — Matthew Aguilar
Rating: 5 out of 5
RED LIGHT #1
[READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE]
Red Light #1 introduces readers to a not-too-distant future in which humanity utilizes advanced cybernetics and A.I. for their own purposes through the eyes of Lacy, a fully sentient A.I. sex slave. Readers are provided her very limited perspective on this future as she spends most of her days in a small room servicing violent johns except when Mister, the pimp and operator of Lacy’s brothel, demands her services in his own room where she can see the surrounding city. It’s an ugly world witnessed from the perspective of one of its most oppressed classes (readers are left to assume A.I. is denied rights given to other self-aware beings), which contrasts oddly with the highly eroticized artwork and non-specific humor and narration. Despite some engaging individual elements, Red Light #1 struggles to clearly articulate its premise and tone to its detriment. — Chase Magnett
Rating: 2 out of 5
THE SACRIFICERS #4
The Sacrificers #4 focuses entirely on the “gods” reigning over this fantasy setting and reveals what readers already knew from the set up across issues #1-3 – that these creatures consume the essence of sacrificed children to preserve themselves. An added sequence of the unnamed pigeon’s family mourning his absence only serves to revisit the trauma and dynamics covered in issue #1. There’s no doubt that Fiumara’s depictions of these bourgeois beings and their transformations are stirring and the sulking behavior of the mysterious foreman adds a new wrinkle, but after waiting a month and paying full cover price The Sacrificers #4 moves its narrative along at a lethargic pace. It’s not difficult to imagine this being a set of connecting pages in an astounding first volume, but when considered as a segment of serialized storytelling, it falls short as little new is offered to readers and the status quo between the first and final page isn’t altered in the least. — Chase Magnett
Rating: 3 out of 5
SAVAGE RED SONJA #1
It takes a gimmick of some kind for a new Red Sonja book to stand out, and Savage Red Sonja has just enough cleverness to do so. As Sonja sets out on a seemingly-ordinary quest, her own personal calling gets examined, with the help of a compotent script from Dan Panosian. Alessio Petillo’s angular art is decidedly outside of Sonja’s current “house style”, but that ends up being part of the fun, especially where fight scenes are concerned. While this might take another issue or two to really solidify into something compelling, this debut issue shows great promise. — Jenna Anderson
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
THE SPACE BETWEEN #1
It takes quite a while for this sci-fi story about love and society to actually find its footing. Really, most of the first half of the debut issue is a frustrating read. It doesn’t seem to know what it wants to be out of the gate. There’s a sharp pivot in the second half, though. The characters quickly become more interesting and the overall picture unfolds in a way that keeps you invested. Where it goes from here, there’s no telling, but it does a good enough job over the last 10-15 pages to convince you that The Space Between #2 is worth checking out. — Charlie Ridgely
Rating: 3 out of 5
Other Publishers #3
STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS – THE SCORPIUS RUN #3
It’s interesting how the coloring informs the artwork in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – The Scorpius Run #3. If Nick Filardi had gone with a flatter, less saturated touch to compliment Angel Hernandez’s thick linework, he would almost appear to be doing a Mike Allred homage, which might not be a bad look given how well Allred has captured the modern-retro spirit of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds on variant covers. As is, the artwork has a more contemporary sheen to it, with Hernandez’s layouts and compositions channeling the energy of modern Star Trek television. The Scorpius Run‘s premise still feels contrived, with too many episode-of-the-week pitches vying for attention. The spaceship race is novel, but having Starfleet officers serve on other ships and a being claiming to be a god but who probably is a man behind a curtain messing with the crew are both familiar conceits. Mike Johnson and Ryan Parrott position these alien crews at extremes. Number One serves aboard a vessel with gruff, merciless aliens projecting strength, not unlike Klingons. Meanwhile, the crew of the vessel Spock finds himself on are manipulating him via a bond with the ship that induces a Zen-like state, something akin to Machiavellian wellness gurus. The plot could use streamlining, and there’s at least one beat that feels out of character for Captain Pike, but there’s still a solid core here for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds fans to enjoy. — Jamie Lovett
Rating: 3 out of 5
STAR WARS: HYPERSPACE STORIES #10
The Bad Batch of clones might have met their match in a “bad batch” of clones that have been pieced together from the deadliest parts of their regime, giving them unexpected strengths. This issue makes for a good primer to anyone who isn’t familiar with the Bad Batch, as it gives each member of the squad a moment or represent their signature traits, from their deadliness to their silliness. For those familiar with the characters already, its an action-forward adventure that delivers everything established audiences love about the characters, making for an efficient and entertaining adventure. There’s nothing about the book that is especially groundbreaking, but merely by giving a kid-oriented experience featuring beloved characters means that this chapter accomplishes the goals of the series overall, making it at a delightful read for fans of all ages. — Patrick Cavanaugh
Rating: 4 out of 5
STRANGER THINGS: THE VOYAGE #1
Stranger Things: The Voyage #1 seeks to expand the world of Netflix’s popular series with new characters and a new setting, and the book’s debut hits the ground running. Writer Michael Moreci introduces fans to an intriguing and rather likable crew aboard The Persephone, and though the bigger supernatural elements of the franchise don’t rear their head until later, there’s a palpable tension building throughout the entire issue before that dam ultimately breaks. The crew and their arrangement with the Russian mercenaries is compelling on its own, and that’s also in large part thanks to the talents of artist Todor Hristov, colorist Francesco Segala, and letterer Nate Piekos, who convey the mood, the stakes, and the tension brilliantly from the very first page. You know the chaos is coming, but you soon find yourself just as engrossed in the survival of the crew, and that makes the eventual chaos hit even harder. Stranger Things: The Voyage #1 completely surprised me, and I can’t wait to see what other mysteries this tale of the sea holds. — Matthew Aguilar
Rating: 4 out of 5
TEAR US APART #3
The action sequence at the start of Tear Us Apart #3 is absolutely stunning, featuring Allesandro Micelli’s watercolor shading against sharp black lines to contrast the soft falling of snow against the terrible speed of bloodletting. It’s an impressive, silent sequence that clarifies the abilities displayed by both of the series’ protagonists. The knowledge of what these teenagers can do also serves to make what follows all the more appealing. Trauma and rage is contrasted with the simple kindness of their rescuer and the mundane montage of suburban, teen experiences. It’s a joy to see responses to music and other simple pleasures as depicted by Micelli, even as the narrative winds up tension for the next stage of this rapidly unfurling conspiracy. Tear Us Apart has captured its own rhythm with a compelling collection of protagonists and abundant opportunities for more severe action ahead. It seems this series is only improving as it progresses. — Chase Magnett
Rating: 4 out of 5
UNTOLD TALES OF I HATE FAIRYLAND #5
Untold Tales of I Hate Fairyland continues with another wild adventure thanks to Gert’s love of all things gore. When our whacked-out heroine finds herself presiding as a judge, all sanity goes out the window for one gnarly murder case. And of course, things go from bad to worse when Gert finds herself at odds with the case’s clients. — Megan Peters
Rating: 3 out of 5
USAGI YOJIMBO: ICE AND SNOW #2
Usagi Yojimbo continues to be as stellar as ever in the latest chapter of Ice and Snow. Stan Sakai is often deservingly lauded for his ability to render graceful combat and expressive characters, but his knack for horror in this issue as well, with monstrous beings, desiccated corpses, and the grotesque rendered mundane in a few scenes. Though rooted in Japanese yokai folklore, the Yuki-onna luring Usagi and Yukichi out of the snow and into her warmth plays out like a less sexed-up version of the early Conan the Barbarian story “The Frost Giant’s Daughter,” which speaks to Usagi Yojimbo‘s place among the great adventure hero canon (if such a canon exists). I’m not entirely convinced by the coloring in the issue, as the shadows bring a new dimensionality to Sakai’s work that ground it in reality, pulling it away from the blurry line between historical adventure and haunted fantasy. However, the choices are subtle enough that anyone not specifically looking at the issue with a critical eye is unlikely to notice. It’s another excellent Usagi Yojimbo chapter that teases an exciting twist—two of Usagi’s foes crossing paths—to come. — Jamie Lovett
Rating: 4 out of 5
